Tag: product review

When the people behind Piccolo Pouches got in touch recently to let me know that the fastest growing baby brand in the UK would be launching in Asda in the UK AND SuperValu stores in Ireland, it was exciting news. Not only that, they wanted to send us some, all the way to Portugal, to test for ourselves. We were thrilled at the prospect of some blogger mail finding its way to us in Portugal and we couldn’t wait to try out some Piccolo pouches.

Piccolo is a brand that I’ve come across before. Although BattleKid is beyond the weaning stage, their fruit pouches were still something I would buy on occasion in the UK for things like long car journeys or for forthcoming plane trips as a quick and healthy snack for him.

Piccolo are passionate about ensuring children get the healthiest and most nutritious food from the very start of their weaning journey. And we’ve shown that this can continue after weaning is complete by using Piccolo pouches and healthy snacks on the go. They are super handy for popping into your bag!

One of the things that drew me to Piccolo was the fact that they are 100% organic with nothing artificial added. The range of flavours are inspired by the Mediterranean approach to health and wellbeing, centred around fresh ingredients.

Their fruit pouches contain nothing but 100% fruit. Their combined fruit and oat pouches contain nothing but fruit and wholemeal oats. Vegetable Piccolo pouches contain nothing but vegetables, olive oil and herbs, and Piccolo pouches with meat have a balanced recipe of vegetables, meat and herbs to introduce a good source of protein to children who are ready for it.

If there are any potential allergens, they are clearly indicated on the back in bold. Each Piccolo pouch can be eaten hot or cold and once opened can be stored in the fridge for 24 hours. However, Piccolo pouches taste so good that I somehow doubt they will make their way as far as the fridge. I have tasted several of the pouches and they really do taste great.

During our road test, they first came in handy one evening when we went to a Fado, a Portuguese concert with traditional music and singing. It was held at 6pm so we decided to wait and have dinner with my parents afterwards. BattleKid fell asleep on the way there and woke up halfway through. Towards the end he asked for something to eat and, clever me, I had put a Piccolo pouch in my bag, just in case. I tasted it before I gave it to him and I felt like eating it myself, it tasted that good. BattleDad also had a taste and commented on how good it was. It filled a gap until we had dinner and BattleKid thoroughly enjoyed it.

Enjoying a Piccolo pouch after the Fado

Piccolo pouches taste so good that I’ve even used them to prepare quick and easy lunches for us. Piccolo pouches make a great sauce to add to pasta and you can add more veggies to the mix too. Our particular favourite is the Sun-Ripened Tomato and Red Pepper pouch, which when combined with pasta and a few extra vegetables, makes for a really quick, easy and tasty lunch for the whole family. Even BattleDad commented on the flavour.

Pasta, ham and a Piccolo pouchPiccolo pouches make a great sauce base for a quick and easy lunch for the whole family

BattleKid has been thoroughly enjoying the Piccolo pouches we were sent and calls them “yoggies” as they resemble the pouch yogurts I used to buy him. He ensures we get every last bit out by saying “mammy, you do more”, which means I need to roll them up to squeeze every last bit out.

Squeezing every last bit out of a Piccolo pouch

What we love about Piccolo pouches:

100% organic ingredients with no added artificial ingredients.

Taste really great.

A great selection of flavours to choose from.

Extremely handy as a snack while on the go.

Handy for popping into your change or handbag.

Not just for the weaning stage, they can be enjoyed long after.

Can be enjoyed by the whole family as they make a great base for a pasta sauce.

Allergens are clearly marked in the ingredients list.

Can be eaten hot or cold.

No added sugars or salt.

There are vegetarian and gluten-free option within the range too.

What we don’t like about Piccolo Pouches:

Absolutely nothing!

Piccolo pouches are not only great for the weaning journey, but also beyond. For older children, they make great, healthy, on-the-go snacks and for the whole family they make great sauce bases too. Piccolo pouches are healthy, nutritious, tasty options for baby and beyond and are a food brand I would highly recommend.

What’s more, Piccolo are committed to food education and 10% of all profits go towards helping to fund food education in partnership with the NCT. That’s brilliant.

Piccolo pouches are available from most supermarkets both in the UK and Ireland, including SuperValu. You can trust in Piccolo, knowing your baby and children are getting nothing but 100% organic goodness. Piccolo pouches get a big thumbs up from the Battle Family.

Cath x

*We were kindly sent a variety of Piccolo pouches for the purpose of this review. However, as always these are my own honest thoughts and opinions of the product.

We were recently given the chance to receive a new type of tablet holder called a Cosy Holder as part of their promotion. This innovative travelling companion is something I had never come across and I was thrilled to receive it. We have spent some time test driving it and today I’m sharing our thoughts on the Cosy Holder with you in the form of this review.

Cosy Holder is fun, practical and easy-to-use holder which can be used with any form of tablet or eReader, and can also be used with a conventional book. Cosy Holder come in two colours, green and purple, and contains a handy zipped pouch at the back which has protective padding for those all-important electronic devices.

We received the purple “Bailey” for review and BattleKid was immediately intrigued as to what it was. Now I should point out here that he rarely gets his tablet at home, save for occasions when Mum and Dad really need to get some work done. That said, this was a special occasion, so out came his LeapFrog Epic to road test the Cosy Holder.

The Cosy Holder has other functions alongside the main one. The padded pouch at the back can not only hold a tablet or eReader, but can hold pens, colouring pads and several toy cars, as I discovered one day! The Cosy Holder can be used with a tablet or eReader in both portrait and landscape mode. When it is not being used to hold an electronic device or book, it doubles up as a comfortable pillow or cushion.

It comes with a handy carry strap making it ideal for at home or while travelling. And Cosy Holder is not limited to just children from the ages of 5. Cosy Holder have a Beanie brother which can be used by adults to hold eReaders or tablets. The entire range of Cosy Holders are designed to make reading or playing easier and more comfortable by freeing up your hands.

So, what do we think of it? Well, I really like it. It has made the limited time BattleKid has with his tablet more comfortable, freeing up both hands to enjoy the games more.

He has been able to watch his Curious George episodes on his tablet in more comfortable positions too. The adjustable strap means he can transport it wherever he wants. And as already mentioned, when not being used for his tablet, the pouch has been used to transport those all-important Hot Wheels cars!

It is sturdy and soft at the same time. The pouch is more than big enough for his tablet and other things, and even at three and a half he carries it around with no problems.

What we love about the Cosy Holder:

Great idea.

Makes using a tablet more comfortable.

Two great colours to choose from.

Padded pouch at the rear to both carry tablets/eReaders and protect them.

Portable with a strong adjustable strap.

Doubles up as a pillow/cushion for resting.

Great product for travelling with.

Pouch carries tablets, eReaders, pens, colouring pads and also toys.

Good value-for-money.

Adult version available too!

What we don’t love about the Cosy Holder:

Not a dislike but I’d like to see more colours available.

The Cosy Holder really is a great idea for making tablet or eReader use more comfortable. Since it is portable it is ideal for travelling either by plane, train or automobile (car to you and I). On a plane it would easily sit on the tray table and in a car could sit on a child’s lap. On a train you could sit it on either the tray table or the table if you have a seat at one. It would make days out during the summer with the kids easier and more enjoyable, with no giving out that their tablet keeps falling down.

I do have one reservation about the Cosy Holder and that is the size of it. While it is a great product and has already come in handy at home, it is quite bulky and could take up a lot of room in hand luggage of a child. This would be one of the main reasons I’d have bought it, to take on planes with us. We always struggle to get BattleKid comfortable on a plane with his tablet, even with a cover and stand but this would be better. However, if your hand luggage has limited space or size this might take up a lot of space.

That said I think the Cosy Holder may well be accompanying us to America at the end of next month for our mammoth USA road trip.

Would I recommend the Cosy Holder? Yes, I would. Despite my one reservation it is a great product, ideal for travelling with the kids or for relaxing at home. Cosy Holder has a special introductory offer of £5 off any Frankie or Bailey, costing just £19.99, with free UK Mainland shipping for a limited time only. The Beanie Cosy Holder retails for £16.99 but is on offer at £12.99 for a limited time. Visit the Cosy Holder website for more information.

So why not grab your kids (or yourself) something unique, comfortable and portable for tablet or eReader moments this summer!

Cath x

*This post contains an affiliate link, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you click through and decide to make a purchase.

**We were sent the Cosy Holder as part of their promotion. Although we were not asked to write a review, these are my own honest thoughts and opinions of the product.

I will freely admit that until recently I hadn’t come across Saltrock T-shirts and Clothing but when they got in touch to see if we’d like to receive some of their t-shirts for review I jumped at the chance. You see, I had a good rummage through their website when they got in touch and was immediately drawn to the huge range of t-shirts they have for the whole family.

We picked out some t-shirts for all of us, placed our order and then patiently waited for them to arrive in Portugal via a very good friend of mine who agreed to act as intermediary.

And when they arrived just over a week ago I was beyond excited. Firstly, because it was my first blogger mail here in Portugal and secondly because I couldn’t wait to open the parcel and see what the t-shirts were like in real life. I had been so impressed by the range of styles and colours that I hoped they lived up to my expectations when we got them in our hands!

Saltrock Clothing was started in the late 1980’s by two South African brothers who, travelling the world, ended up in Cornwall seeking ‘waves’ and they never looked back. Running short on funds they started using their creative minds to print original, surf-inspired designs and gathered a loyal following from the South West surfers. The brand soon grew and is now a well-recognised British brand that is loved throughout the surfing community and beyond.

The first thing that struck me upon opening our parcel was the bright colours and the quality of the Saltrock t-shirts. They feel really good quality and are made mostly from 100% cotton, which is a must for me now we’re based in Portugal. The designs on the front were great too and I couldn’t wait to get out with BattleKid to model them.

And we did just that. BattleKid and I first wore one of our Saltrock t-shirts when we went to discover our first beaches here in Portugal early one morning. We went early so we could avoid the hot sun later in the day and I have to say I love Saltrock Clothing. The t-shirts are true to their size, if even slightly big and are so well suited to summer especially. We had fun discovering Fabrica beach in our new t-shirts.

Too cool for school in his Saltrock t-shirtCollecting shells on Fabrica beach

As a family we have also worn our Saltrock t-shirts to another beach this week at Manta Rota. This time we all wore one of our t-shirts and even BattleDad is well impressed with them. He thought his looked a bit big but it fitted him really well in fact. We had fun on Monday evening at the beach in our new Saltrock t-shirts.

So far, our t-shirts have been washed once but they washed well and on a first wash did not lose any colour or shape, which is great. I’ll update this if necessary after more washes but I doubt I will need to.

What I love about our Saltrock T-shirts:

Excellent quality clothing.

Great range of colours, designs and sizes for the whole family.

Feel and look great.

Value-for-money.

Wash really well.

Sizings are true, if slightly big.

T-shirts are either 100% cotton or a high percentage cotton/polyester mixture.

These t-shirts look great, feel great and are very comfortable. Teamed with a pair of shorts and flip flops they complete the perfect summer beach outfit. I am so happy with the t-shirts we received from Saltrock. I’m also thrilled to find a British clothing brand that speaks both quality and fun and I think we’ll be ordering from Saltrock again.

I cannot recommend Saltrock t-shirts and clothing enough. The Battle Family have been very impressed with the t-shirts we have received and we’ve had a great time modelling them at the beach for this review. No doubt they will be well worn this summer and for a long time to come.

And what’s more, Saltrock are offering all my readers 10% off any order placed using the unique code below! And, they regularly have promotions and sales on their website so you could combine the two for a great bargain. So, what are you waiting for? Click the link below to get your unique 10% off code and check out Saltrock for yourself!

Thanks for reading,

Cath x

*We were kindly sent an e-voucher to spend at Saltrock Clothing to receive some products for the purpose of this review. However, as always, these are my own honest thoughts and opinions of the products.

**This post contains an affiliate link in the form of the unique code. This means that I will receive a small percentage of any sales generated through the use of this code. This does not effect your shopping experience or the price you pay.

I first came across Safesip drinks covers on Facebook back in March of last year and was immediately intrigued. At the time we were desperately trying to transition BattleKid to a big boy’s cup as he was refusing beakers but he couldn’t get the hang of open cups at all. This seemed like it might be the answers to our prayers and I clicked through to the website to investigate further.

Safesip is the brain child of Melissa Edmunds. She came up with the idea of Safesip drinks covers while looking after her poorly father, who was in hospital trying to drink through straws at difficult angles, all with a clumsy second child at the same time.

Safesip is a reusable drinks cover that fits virtually any glass, mug, cup or can and is designed to keep drinks in to ensure

No more spills – ever!

Its revolutionary design ensures drinks are kept in and everything else out, which means it is hugely versatile and can be used by parents, children, campers, party guests, the elderly and disabled alike. Safesip drinks covers are made from food grade silicone and are BPA free. They are dishwasher, freezer and microwave safe and have been designed to fit both single and double handled mugs.

After seeing all these advantages, I ordered a quad pack and soon started using them at home at mealtimes. They quickly started being used on all open-topped drinking cups for BattleKid and he loved drinking his drinks through a straw. They also helped to relax both mum and dad significantly as we no longer had to help him with his drinks or tell him to be careful, meaning mealtimes became more relaxed in our house.

We then brought the Safesip drinks cover to Lanzarote in May and used it during all meals in the hotel restaurants. Now unfortunately they were no totally BattleKid-proof, with us having two spills of drinks due to him knocking his cup off the table but knocks onto the table did not result in drinks being spilled. At all other times it made for calmer meal times while on holiday and meant BattleKid felt a bit more independent too.

We continued to use it for several months afterwards, both at home and out and about, and gradually stopped using them as BattleKid has gotten better with open cups. Now I will say that we have large plastic wine glasses at home and the Safesip did not fit over these, coming away very quickly but it fit all other mugs, cups and plastic glasses we have at home. It actually worked best with BattleKid’s own open cups, so job done. The reason we tried it on the plastic wine glasses was that BattleKid went through a phase of only wanting the same drinking vessel as BattleDad and I so I had bought 3 picnic plastic wine glasses to use at home so he would have the same vessel as us. It had been working until spills became a problem.

What we loved about Safesip drinks covers:

Reusable drinks cover.

Ideal for toddler using open drinking vessels.

British made from food grade silicon and is 100% BPA free.

Dishwasher, freezer and microwave safe.

Can be used by toddlers, party goers, campers, and the elderly and disabled alike.

Comes in a range of colours which will appeal to anyone.

Made for calmer meal times both at home and away.

Great for holidays or days out.

Helps toddlers gain independence from parents where drinks are concerned.

What we didn’t like about Safesip drinks covers:

Did not fit ALL our drinking vessels at home.

Had two spillages on holiday so not completely child-proof but that was because the drink was toppled onto the ground, not just the table.

Overall I think Safesip drinks covers are a great way to help toddlers learn how to handle open drinking cups, mugs and glasses. It can help them gain some independence while keeping parents calmer during meal times knowing spills will be greatly reduces or even stopped. They are also versatile and can be used in a variety of other settings as they help to keep drinks in and everything else out!

Safesip drinks covers are available from the Safesip website and come separately or in drinks packs which can include straws and drinking vessels too, ranging in price from £4.00 for a single pack to £23 for a pack of 4 covers and cups. To see the full range available, please visit the Safesip shop website.

Have you tried them before? If not I have a chance for you to win a pack of 4 Safesip drinks cover and 4 cups too. Just follow the instructions in the widget below and good luck.

We recently received a Switch and Fix Bob the Builder toy for review and to say BattleKid has been thrilled to receive it would be an understatement.

Switch and Fix Bob is a deluxe size, action figure Bob the Builder who comes with a cool rotating tool belt in which he can carry three different tool bits for his tool. These include a jackhammer, a saw and an auger, all designed to help Bob get the job done.

The rotating tool belt enables Switch and Fix Bob to switch between his tools easily and quickly with his amazing quick draw action tool change system. His tool can hold one accessory while Bob can hold another in his free hand.

Switch and Fix Bob’s tool also has a light which flashes and illuminates the selected translucent tool. When the selected tool piece is pressed against a surface the light flashes for between 5 and 30 cycles while the matching tool sound is also sounded.

Drawing Bob’s tool hand downwards activates different phrases and the all-famous Bob the Builder song. Switch and Fix Bob also comes with a removable, adjustable welding mask for his helmet.

I can easily say that since Switch and Fix Bob arrived in our house, he has been permanently attached to BattleKid hands, even coming as far as swimming with us, although he waited in the car.

BattleKid has been having fun with him, moving his tool hand up and down to start the phrases and song, and playing with his helmet. Unusually, BattleKid hasn’t been too keen on the tool sounds. The same can’t be said of the tool light. He has tried once or twice to shine it in Mum and Dad’s eyes.

Switch and Fix Bob has helped bring out BattleKid’s imaginative play at home and he absolutely loves this action figure Bob. We have had to pry it from him at bedtime because I’ve been worried he would set his sounds off and wake himself during the night.

What we love about Switch and Fix Bob:

Great size for BattleKid’s hands.

The adjustable welding helmet is great and easily attached or removed.

The three translucent tool accessories are great colours, and do illuminate when pressed against a surface.

The flashing light and tool sounds are good, in my opinion (BattleKid isn’t keen on the sounds as mentioned).

Great vibrant colours in the toy.

The rotating tool belt is great and the quick draw action is brilliant, although BattleKid hasn’t quite figured this out yet.

What we didn’t like about Switch and Fix Bob:

BattleKid isn’t too fussed on the tool sounds.

The tool accessory bits come off very easily from the belt if knocked a little. Their clips could do with being a little stronger.

Switch and Fix Bob has been a welcome addition to BattleKid’s Bob the Builder toys since he arrived. He has played with him at length each and every day since his arrival, so much so I’m starting to hear him say the phrases with Bob. His imaginative play is certainly noticeable when playing with Bob and I have to say the song is permanently stuck in my head, which some might argue isn’t a great bonus!

I’m really impressed with this Bob and his size for BattleKid’s pre-school size hands. Switch and Fix Bob is recommended for ages 3+ and I think that’s perfect. His size is just right for BattleKid and his rotating tool belt, moveable arms and adjustable welding mask for his helmet are easily done by BattleKid.

As mentioned BattleKid isn’t fussed on the tool sounds but enjoys the other phrases and of course the Bob the Builder song. As mentioned the tool clips on the belt could do with being a little stronger in my opinion. I can understand why they are not so strong to enable younger kids to put them on and remove them easily. This is just a minor point, otherwise this is a great action figure toy for any young Bob the Builder fans like BattleKid.

Switch and Fix Bob the Builder toy is available from most good toy retailers including Smyth’s, Argos and Amazon. His RRP is £19.99 but most toy retailers have him discounted at the time of writing this review.

If you are on the hunt for a great Bob the Builder toy for a young fan or to add to a Bob the Builder collection, I can recommend this Switch and Fix Bob. Particularly for pre-schoolers like BattleKid.

Thanks for reading,

Cath x

*We were kindly sent a Switch and Fix Bob the Builder toy for the purpose of this review. However, as always, these are our own honest thoughts and opinions of the product.

**This review contains an Amazon Affiliate Link. You can read more about this in the disclosure section of my Work With Me page.

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